1. EDGE Charles Tapper got leverage on OG Cody Whitehair and tossed him aside for a “sack”. Whitehair had a good day overall, but got off to a slow start and one coach got in his grill a bit to amp him up. After that he was pretty dominant.

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4. OG Sebastian Tretola cannot be beaten with power. The man’s anchor is absurd, and DL Quinton Jefferson found out the hard way and got buried trying to bull rush the Arkansas guard.

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6. Tretola buried DT Jarran Reed in a clash of two behemoth power players.

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S Jeremy Cash made an excellent stop in the box, flowing across the formation, sifting through trash, and holding the ball carrier to a short gain. His instincts near the line of scrimmage are just fantastic to watch. Some team is going to get one heck of a football player.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

-CB Maurice Canady showed excellent press technique to ride out the receiver with the opposite hand in slot coverage during one play today. He’s a long corner with a lot of confidence. I’m looking forward to watching him more tomorrow, but I like the mentality he brings to the field.

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-NT D.J. Reader making money here. Too powerful for C Evan Boehm on the bull rush. Ripped under Glasgow on another rep.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

2. OG Joshua Garnett got his hands high and tight on DL Adolphus Washington, controlling the Ohio State defensive linemen to the ground. Won the second rep in similar fashion. 21. Garnett mauls Ioanndis several yards upfield past the pocket

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7. Two reps in a row that DT Austin Johnson converted speed-to-power well and bullied C Austin Blythe back into the pocket, but couldn’t disengage from the blocker. Johnson needs to get his hands inside quicker so he can control his opponent. 18. Blythe rides DL Vernon Butler’s attempted spin move up the arc

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11. Garnett mauled DL Sheldon Day, then shoved him back into the defensive huddle. So edgy.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

3. OG Joshua Garnett, StanfordJust a dominant day for the Cardinal guard, who successfully battled off attackers in one-on-ones, beforeJoshua Garnett Stanford solo showing precise footwork and timing in his pull game. His arm extension and punch gave pass rushers fits, and even when Garnett did lose initial leverage, he re-anchored extremely well against power. Some are still sleeping on Garnett, but this week should be clearly establishing him as the top offensive guard in the 2016 draft.

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2. CB Jalen Mills, LSUMills had an excellent practice, dominating the 1v1 period against the receivers. His ability to read patterns and break on the three-step game with precision is impressive, as Mills nearly intercepted two passes during the session. He’s physical and instinctive, but does he have the hip fluidity and long speed to turn and carry receivers vertically? That’s the question that hopefully tomorrow will answer.

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S Kevin Byard, Middle Tennessee StateKevin ByardI really like this kid’s game, as Byard fills both deep safety and in-the-box responsibilities with equal success. He’s a very good tackler that gets downfield in a hurry and will lay the wood when necessary, but where Byard really thrives is in his ability to read routes and break on the football. He made a leaping, high-point interception of one deep Brissett throw near the goal line, showing great concentration to reel in the errant pass.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

5. All due respect to the Braxton Miller hype train, but Sterling Shepard was the best wide receiver in Mobile on either squad. Smooth operator with exceptional hands and quickness at the top of his route. Dedicated, well-spoken kid too. Teams better not make the same mistake they made with Tyler Lockett and let him fall.

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7. Cody Whitehair is the kind of prospect that teams will sleep on and think they can almost replicate with a mid-round pick, but then he’ll start for 14 years and kill it. His base, core strength, technique and footwork were impressive to say the least. Should be gone by pick #35.

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8. Spencer Drango, John Theus, and Vadal Alexander were all once rumored to be first round picks, but the trio has fallen off dramatically. Drango’s pass sets are way too shallow (could be a Baylor thing) and he lacks the quick feet to mirror defenders around the arc. Alexander definitely has to kick inside to guard at the next level, and even then he’s got to land with a gap-heavy scheme. Theus may actually be undraftable, as his issues abound beyond the other two. Not sure any offensive tackle had a rougher week.

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9. I like Christian Westerman. Think he’ll go in the mid-rounds, but has a great work ethic and the nastiness to thrive in the rigors of the NFL. He just has to keep refining his feet, as Westerman’s length, power, and movement skills should attract NFL teams looking for quality guard help.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

5. Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas StateOne-on-one pass-rush drills are usually to the defender’s advantage, but that wasn’t the case Thursday for Whitehair. He held his own on every rep, even stoning pass-rushers on a few and leveling one with a pancake block. There’s some debate over whether he’s a tackle or a guard at the next level, after he graded out as our No. 1 tackle in 2015, but his best reps came as a guard on Thursday.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:06 pm

Mothman

Defensive Tackle

Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:48 amPosts: 37356Location: Chicago, IL

Re: 2016 Senior Bowl (notes & such)

Thanks for the "Guard alert!" updates. Whitehair and Garnett sound like two players we should keep a close eye on in the game and the months ahead. Since the Vikes spoke with Shepard, He;s obviously someone to watch too.

Thanks for the "Guard alert!" updates. Whitehair and Garnett sound like two players we should keep a close eye on in the game and the months ahead. Since the Vikes spoke with Shepard, He;s obviously someone to watch too.

Problem is we'd have to take Whitehair in R1 (if he's not gone already) and possibly Garnett as well. I'd be shocked if Rick did that. Other names I see popping up and I've done a bit more research on that I have my eye on include: Martin, Tretola and Westerman. Westerman is apparently an ox. He put up 41 reps of 225 last year. He did 20 of 315, too. His combine bench press might be fun. Tretola is pretty brutish, too. I'd be pretty happy with any of those guys.

_________________“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly

Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:28 pm

CbusVikesFan

All Pro Elite Player

Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:07 pmPosts: 1395Location: Columbus, Ohio

Re: 2016 Senior Bowl (notes & such)

I watched the game, although not too closely. I was impressed with Noah Spence, Jarran Reed, and Brandon Allen.

_________________Don't hate on my Buckeyes. Some of the best Vikings went to Ohio State.Including now, HOF WR #80 Cris Carter